The 2026 FIFA World Cup opens Thursday into one of the summer’s first major heat waves.
The National Weather Service warned Tuesday that “early season heat can often be more dangerous and pose a greater risk for heat-related illness,” calling it “the most significant heat so far this summer for many locations.” The heat wave is expected to sweep across the Midwest Wednesday before shifting into the south and east on Thursday and through the weekend.
AccuWeather forecasts a hot summer across most of the U.S., with the number of 90-degree days expected to be near or above average in Boston, New York City, and Philadelphia—three of the tournament’s host cities.
Temperatures for Saturday’s matchup between Morocco and Brazil at MetLife Stadium are forecast to climb into the high 80s. The open-air stadium is one of five World Cup venues without a full roof, and a World Weather Attribution analysis flagged it among the tournament’s most heat-exposed venues alongside Miami, Kansas City, and Philadelphia. The study found 26 games are expected to be played under conditions where the players’ union recommends mandatory cooling breaks and five under conditions it considers unsafe for play.
FIFA’s threshold for mandating cooling breaks or postponing matches sits at 89.6°F, well above the 82.4°F level where the international players’ union recommends action.
